Peer Review #1
If you’re interested in improving your skincare routine, Skincare with M offers a variety of tips and tricks for her readers.
Marilyn is developing her professional self through a skincare blog. The overall design and theme is simplistic and appealing. Her menu consists of a ‘home’ page, ‘About me’, ‘Skincare routine’, ‘Product favs’, ‘Self care’, and ‘Body care’. Her homepage contains a search bar option at the top of the page for easy access. She links her social media accounts at the bottom of her page, and includes a footer with her menu items again. To invite users to visit her social media pages, I would consider moving these icons to the top of the page, so it is one of the first things they look at.
Her homepage is aesthetically pleasing and aligns with her brand, such as the image of the girl applying a product in the mirror, or the image showing various skincare products. She is showing her audience what kind of website it is, so it will encourage the reader to look further. One note is to change the links of the images, as when you click on them, it takes you to a 404 error page. Linking it to the pages on the website will keep the reader engaged.
I like the font as it is simple, but I would recommend increasing the font size so it’s easy to read. Additionally, the handwritten font is a little difficult to read, so it may be worth changing that to another font style. She has added an accessibility bar to her home page to allow users to change font size, contrast, light background, and more. That will appeal to users who look for accessibility options on websites. I think this is a great option for users with accessibility issues. This is something I have yet to implement to my website, but this has given me inspiration for how I can go about putting this on my website whether its a small icon like Marilyn did, or its own menu bar somewhere on the page.
In the browser tab, I can see her M logo for her website. According to McLaughlin, a brand is essentially the equivalent of a trademark. This M should be the trademark for her website so that when people see it, they can identify her brand. Another option would be to incorporate the whole title ‘Skincare with M’ as a logo to place at the very top of her website. Quartz Obsession talks about brands like Burberry and Saint Laurent Paris have created new logos to look minimalistic, but end up looking boring or unappealing to the viewers. Making the logo the centre of the website will engage and draw viewers in. It will improve the brand recall and invite more website traffic.
I see two potential mission statements on her home page, one below her title/name and one in the middle of the page. Her tagline says ‘The ultimate guide to feeling confident in your own skin’, and the statement in the middle of the page says ‘Inspiring others to level up their skincare regimes through providing tips and tricks on skincare routines and products based on my own personal knowledge and experiences’. The first one sounds more like a brief tagline to draw readers in, but the second one clearly states her intentions for this website. If we look at Young’s ‘Mission, Vision, Values, Mandate: an “Aha!” Moment’, I think Marilyn incorporates these aspects into her mission statement. As a mission or mandate, she is clear about her outcome, which is to inspire others to level up their skincare regimes, as a result of reading her tips and tricks. This also ties into her vision of a new skincare regime for everyone. She implements her values well, focusing on her personal experiences and knowledge.
Something to note here in terms of developing a professional self is to be wary of using personal experiences to provide tips about skincare, as not everyone’s skin reacts the same way to certain products and whatnot. I would recommend putting a disclaimer in blog posts that it may not work for everyone, or warning them about the ingredients in the product. I also think providing links to research from dermatologists regarding skincare routines would increase the authenticity and credibility of her brand. As a reader, I would want to know what professionals think about the products used or the routine in question.
In terms of content, I think it’s unique and creative, while also staying true to her brand. Posts like ‘My step-by-step natural everyday makeup routine‘ or 3 reasons you need to start shaving your face offer different kinds of content according to her audience. Showing her makeup routine may inspire others to use similar products or follow the same style, while a post about facial shaving offers something different and provides perspective, especially to those who are skeptical or unsure about applying new methods to their skincare routine. I like that she mixes her content with advice and her own preferences for a more versatile and authentic brand. As I said before, I would incorporate research into the product posts to build trust with her audience.
Overall, I really like Marilyn’s skincare website, and I think she is doing a good job of developing her professional self. I think her design and content are consistent, and her mission statement is clear and intentional. As someone who is trying to work on skincare in 2023, I would absolutely look at Marilyn’s website for tips and inspiration!
Check out her website here: https://marilynbrimacombe.com/
Course Links:
https://www.youngassociates.ca/news/2016/2/29/mission-vision-values-mandate-an-aha-moment
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerrymclaughlin/2011/12/21/what-is-a-brand-anyway/?sh=d54dae62a1b1
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